Manual printing devices of the kind used for printing forms through use of a plate, such as a credit card, are well known in the art. Examples of such printing devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,691 and German patent specification DT-OS 2 154 117. Such printing devices are generally provided with a print roller which is moved across a printing surface to obtain satisfactory ink transfer. Endeavoring to attain a reduced weight for a portable hand printing device, the forces of impression have had to be reduced substantially. The contact pressure between the printing plate and the printing roll depends upon the extent of the contact surface, so that the required forces are much lower using small or hard printing rolls. The endeavors for reducing the diameter of the printing roll, as a consequence of the above considerations, are bound by certain limitations. For example, reducing the diameter of the printing roll increases the danger of bending therefore making it no longer possible to obtain satisfactory impressions.